Calcineurin regulates bone formation by the osteoblast.

Two of the most commonly used immunosuppressants, cyclosporine A and tacrolimus (FK506), inhibit the activity of a ubiquitously expressed Ca(2+)/calmodulin-sensitive phosphatase, calcineurin. Because both drugs also cause profound bone loss in humans and in animal models, we explored whether calcineurin played a role in regulating skeletal remodeling. We found that osteoblasts contained mRNA and protein for all isoforms of calcineurin A and B. TAT-assisted transduction of fusion protein TAT-calcineurin Aalpha into osteoblasts resulted in the enhanced expression of the osteoblast differentiation markers Runx-2, alkaline phosphatase, bone sialoprotein, and osteocalcin. This expression was associated with a dramatic enhancement of bone formation in intact calvarial cultures. Calcineurin Aalpha(-/-) mice displayed severe osteoporosis, markedly reduced mineral apposition rates, and attenuated colony formation in 10-day ex vivo stromal cell cultures. The latter was associated with significant reductions in Runx2, bone sialoprotein, and osteocalcin expression, paralleled by similar decreases in response to FK506. Together, the gain- and loss-of-function experiments indicate that calcineurin regulates bone formation through an effect on osteoblast differentiation.

Disordered osteoclast formation and function in a CD38 (ADP-ribosyl cyclase)-deficient mouse establishes an essential role for CD38 in bone resorption.

We have evaluated the role of the ADP-ribosyl cyclase, CD38, in bone remodeling, a process by which the skeleton is being renewed constantly through the coordinated activity of osteoclasts and osteoblasts. CD38 catalyzes the cyclization of its substrate, NAD+, to the Ca2+-releasing second messenger, cyclic ADP-ribose (cADPr). We have shown previously that CD38 is expressed both in osteoblasts and osteoclasts. Its activation in the osteoclast triggers Ca2+ release through ryanodine receptors (RyRs), stimulation of interleukin-6 (IL-6), and an inhibition of bone resorption. Here, we have examined the consequences of deleting the CD38 gene in mice on skeletal remodeling. We report that CD38-/- mice displayed a markedly reduced bone mineral density (BMD) at the femur, tibia, and lumbar spine at 3 months and at the lumbar spine at 4 months, with full normalization of the BMD at all sites at 5 months. The osteoporosis at 3 months was accompanied by a reduction in primary spongiosa and increased osteoclast surfaces on histomorphometric analysis. Hematopoetic stem cells isolated ex vivo from CD38-/- mice showed a dramatic approximately fourfold increase in osteoclast formation in response to incubation for 6 days with RANK-L and M-CSF. The osteoclasts so formed in these cultures showed a approximately 2.5-fold increase in resorptive activity compared with wild-type cells. However, when adherent bone marrow stromal cells were allowed to mature into alkaline phosphatase-positive colony-forming units (CFU-Fs), those derived from CD38-/- mice showed a significant reduction in differentiation compared with wild-type cells. Real-time RT-PCR on mRNA isolated from osteoclasts at day 6 showed a significant reduction in IL-6 and IL-6 receptor mRNA, together with significant decreases in the expression of all calcineurin A isoforms, alpha, beta, and gamma. These findings establish a critical role for CD38 in osteoclast formation and bone resorption. We speculate that CD38 functions as a cellular NAD+ "sensor," particularly during periods of active motility and secretion.

A novel mechanism for coupling cellular intermediary metabolism to cytosolic Ca2+ signaling via CD38/ADP-ribosyl cyclase, a putative intracellular NAD+ sensor.

CD38 is an ectocyclase that converts NAD+ to the Ca2+-releasing second messenger cyclic ADP-ribose (cADPr). Here we report that in addition to CD38 ecto-catalysis, intracellularly expressed CD38 may catalyze NAD+-->cADPr conversion to cause cytosolic Ca2+ release. High levels of CD38 were found in the plasma membranes, endoplasmic reticulum, and nuclear membranes of osteoblastic MC3T3-E1 cells. More important, intracellular CD38 was colocalized with target ryanodine receptors. The cyclase also converted a NAD+ surrogate, NGD+, to its fluorescent product, cGDPr (Km approximately 5.13 microM). NAD+ also triggered a cytosolic Ca2+ signal. Similar results were obtained with NIH3T3 cells, which overexpressed a CD38-EGFP fusion protein. The Delta(-49)-CD38-EGFP mutant with a deleted amino-terminal tail and transmembrane domain appeared mainly in the mitochondria with an expected loss of its membrane localization, but the NAD+-induced cytosolic Ca2+ signal was preserved. Likewise, Ca2+ release persisted in cells transfected with the Myr-Delta(-49)-CD38-EGFP or Delta(-49)-CD38-EGFP-Fan mutants, both directed to the plasma membrane but in an opposite topology to the full-length CD38-EGFP. Finally, ryanodine inhibited Ca2+ signaling, indicating the downstream activation of ryanodine receptors by cADPr. We conclude that intracellularly expressed CD38 might link cellular NAD+ production to cytosolic Ca2+ signaling.